I am not one to often quote the Talmud, but there is one quote I really like that goes “A prisoner cannot free themselves from jail”, meaning, no matter how smart or skilled you are, you cannot cure yourself.
This rings particularly true to me in the world of mental health. There were times in my life where I really needed support – and ended up with a probono therapist who was far less skilled or experienced than I. I would sit with him and work through my issues virtually unguided – inner dialogue, visualizations, parts work. And yet, if he wasn’t there with me, none of it would have happened, and I am grateful for his support.
We need others help to see our blind spots – and our good parts – that we struggle to see ourselves. We need others to lift us up when we are down. And we may need others to help us pay for therapy now, so that we may stand on our own feet and help others later.
The thing with mental health is no one is spared – rich or poor, we all struggle with anxiety, depression, meaninglessness and more at some point in our life. The struggle of living is the great equalizer.
I see mental health as a community endeavor, with the therapist or healer being an “ambassador of wellbeing” to the people in their circle. They give of their time, expertise, and most importantly, their care, so that others can get up and keep going.
Prodana was built to facilitate this ambassadorship, with accountability built in to system – because ambassadors still need to be accountable: for how much effort they’ve put in, and how much impact they’ve had.
But if they are doing good work, the community as a whole benefits, which is why their Prodana page will hopefully be seen not just as way for past clients to pay it forward, but for the community as a whole to invest in its wellbeing.